Christmas - that special time of year!

Oh what a great month this has been! Planning and prepping for company and parties and gatherings of family and friends. I've enjoyed getting this season put together with putting the house in order, baking little goodies, and planning out shopping excursions.

However, most of my excursions this year has been solely myself and myself alone. Not many chances to get out shopping with my girlfriends or family. Even though I've been enjoying this season, I've also been missing many people that seem to have stepped out of touch. But what better time of year is there to think of them and send well wishes their way?!

Sitting here with the Christmas lights glowing on the tree, and thinking back over the past week or so, it's been a good end to a long and tiring year. But even through it's tiring day-to-day hassles, the good moments and the worthwhile moments have kept ahold on the bright outlook of the finishing day, week, month, and now the year.

I have some pics to share from one of the many gatherings we've had this month alone. Alas, that will have to come on a future post. I'd rather just sit and enjoy the lights on the tree, and remember the good times we've had this past year (and come up with a few more to add in the next couple days - before the year is officially over). :)

In Service...

We worked at the Operation Christmas Child warehouse again this year. I had been looking forward to it since my last visit last year and had had it on my calendar since this past January! I love the time spent with family and friends, and it just feels good to not only get out and DO something, but to do something good for others at the same time. I need more of these adventures in my life!

OCC has a warehouse in Denver where they need volunteers to come each Nov-Dec to go through packages to remove certain restricted items and to sort the donated boxes by ages.

These boxes will then be shipped out to areas of the world and be delivered to children in time for Christmas.

Not only will these children receive gifts of toys, shoes, and toothbrushes, but they will also receive the Word of God and be told that they are loved by the people who sent these gifts to them.

And it's nice to know that we can be a little part of this HUGE opportunity! Maybe someday we'll be able to be part of the delivery aspect and be able to watch the receiving kids as they open their gifts and express their abundant joy!

 

Catching up...

For Thanksgiving, we had a busy day! Hubs had to work, so I rode along with him on his route. It was an early morning, a chilly morning, and an enjoyable morning as we chatted and spent time together - something that seems harder to come by as we get into another busy season with our work schedules.

We ended up making it to the parental's house just in time to help get some appetizers put out for the men to snack on while we worked on tying up the loose ends of dinner. Extended family arrived not too long after and the afternoon turned into a hustle and bustle of people, conversations, cooking, catching up, eating, taming our crazy dogs, and keeping the kids entertained.

Not long after dinner, Hubs and I had to take off as we had tickets to the Broncos' game that night. We had great seats that we couldn't miss, so we promised to be home after the game to join them all for some pie.

The start of the game... the place was crazy loud!

We had a few good plays and got off to a great start!

 

Then we scored!

Further along in the game, coach pulled Orton aside...

Next play...

We scored again!

That game was the perfect end to the day. Well, aside from going home and eating some pie. :)

I haven't been online in awhile. I've been trying to distance myself from a lot. Things lately have been so frustrating and depressing. The news has been full of sadness and corruption. TV shows have so much junk on them that I can't even watch 5 minutes without having crap attempt to infiltrate into my brain. And our government is so misleading in their goal for health care reform. Can the people of this country really allow these corrupt and selfish leaders to ruin us that easily?! And what about our president?? Do Americans that voted him in... are they disappointed in themselves now?! I don't see how any American can be proud of this man. He is our president and we respect the position... but not when the person in this position is a detriment to our country... the one he is supposed to be proud of and lead in a selfless way!


http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=tCAffMSWSzY#t=28

Brat

Look who I found laying in my flowers today...well, what's left of them anyway.

(Sorry about the blue photos...my camera's settings are off and I didn't care too much to fix them right now.)

Oh well... guess it's winter time anyway and they aren't coming back till next year.

Dog...

A Kiss or Two...but not Three.

The cows are doing great. We went up to see them this last week when we dropped off the camper at its winter hiding ground. All three heifers and the three mini horses were having a rendezvous in the corner where their pens met.

Hubs went over to say hi...

And Baldy (also known as Ieeda) - get it? Ieeda. I eed a. I eat a cow?! Hahaha!

Anywho, Baldy came up and tried to give Hubs a kiss.

Of course I couldn't let that happen! So I jumped in to reprimand her and she then tried to give me a smackeroo of my own.

And I suppose that Mary was feeling a little left out... she wanted a kiss too. But Baldy didn't offer to Mary. Mary soon turned and sulked until we left.

Poor Mary.

It's incredibly sad when terrible things happen to anyone... but especially so when it's your own family.



May the truth be revealed and peace provided to our dear loved ones!

Fencing

We have been terribly busy lately.

We bought some cows.

So we've been out to the property to fix and put up fences in preparation for them arriving. We've gone out on the weekends in between company and birthday parties and hunting... we've gone out after work. We've gone out so many times I cannot even remember what days we didn't go out there. :)

Last Saturday Hubs and I went out early to start putting up some new posts and t-posts.

Here are the posts all lined up and waiting for me.

I had to admire the view though before getting started.

Hubs putting in a gate post.

Lunch finally came around...

I was so thankful for the break!

Those t-posts caused some painful blisters on my poor fingers:

And YES! I was wearing gloves.

Thank you very much for asking. :)

Then on to laying out and stretching wire:

Rocca just played in the ditch water all day.

It was a HOT day!

But right when we were about ready to finish up for the day...

Mark showed up ready to work.

So we put in a few more posts and finished off the corner.

Rocca was not interested in helping.

The bum dog. :P

This last Friday we went out after work and rushed to get some fencing up before the sun set and the mosquitoes came out to feast. Luckily though, we had some help this time! We were very thankful.

Only a few more sections of fence to fix and put up and then it's just the maintaining through the winter. Oh what a wonderful world this is!